Her hatred for Glauce Social rank in Ancient Greece Women in Ancient Greece Upper Class Middle Class Lower Class Slaves Common genre in Ancient Greece (Euripides, Aeschylus, and Sophocles).Religious festivals honoring Dionysus.Performed in March/AprilResemble modern operas.Downfall of noble protagonist, human frailty & will of gods. Central weakness or mistake in hero's quest. Often involves recognition of fate. Aristotle’s definition "Tragedy, then, is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications, is complete, and possesses magnitude; by means of language which has been made sensuously attractive, with each of its varieties found separately in the parts; enacted by the persons themselves and not presented through narrative; through a course of pity and fear completing the catharsis of such emotions." Euripides, Sophocles and Aeschylus: Great Three Tragedians of Ancient GreeceInnovated modern theaterMost tragic of the great three Euripides' Life Oracle told him he was going to win "crowns of victory".Father pushed him into being athletic & studying poetry and philosophy.Both of his wives, Melite and Choerine, were unfaithful to him. This led to him retreating into a cave Uranus & Gaia, sky and earth gods, rule the primordial deities. Uranus is overthrown and castrated by his son Cronus' stone sickle. Cronus marries Rhea and becomes king of the Titans. Cronus swallows his children at birth for fear they will overthrow him. Rhea tricks him into eating a stone instead of Zeus.Zeus wages war on Titans, becomes king of the Gods on Mount Olympus. Men & Marriage: Did what their father wanted, including marrying the man he chooses.When married, did what husband wishes. Weddings: took place in Januarydid not meet groom until day of the weddingmarried at age 15 to man twice her age.divorce was very common and women would remarry often. Daily Activities: Mornings:Food preperation + bakingAfternoons:Spinning, weaving, and sewingReligious observancesEvenings:Any entertainment and serving of food Their Rights: virtually had noneexpected to lead private lifeunder control and protection of father or husbandsupervised slavesmight be allowed to leave home if a priestess or clothed Discussion Question Do you sympathize more with Medea or Jason? Do you think that Euripides intended for the viewer to sympathize with Medea? Medea's family tree Gods and Goddesses in Medea Aphrodite (Euripides 30, 35, 36, 48)Apollo (26, 37)Artemis (xvii, 13)Dionysus (xiv)Eros (30, 48)Furies (67)HarmoniaHecate (24)Helios (xxiii, 25, 43, 44)Hera (xvi)Hera AcraeaHermes (44)JusticeMaiaThemis (13, 14, 15)Zeus (13, 14, 21, 29, 44)